[Game Thread] Part One: I Don't Believe in Coincidence

[ReggaeMortis]

"And that's why you never trust the slicers" - Larria remarks sourly. What fear there was has faded away now, replaced by a resolve to act. She quickly shoved the power packs into her bandolier, at the same time Taking 10 on Perception, total 10+8 = 18looking around the room in search of a ventilation shaft. This idea, for one, seemed sound right now.

[DoubleL1987]

"Hey, Horns, leave the man be - it's not like any of us had a better idea than slicing into the computer, leastwise, I didn't hear you or me making one. And the vents are all up there, I already checked," Malcolm said in response to the Kel Dor's question. "Besides, Chuckles is right: even if we were able to get up there, without a layout we could end up crawling into a turbine or the guard's breakroom for all the good it would do."

Standing by the door into the rest of the spaceport, he pressed a hand against it, ready to head out when Zatrel gave the all-clear. "Our best bet now is to get lost in the crowd, and get out into the streets - as long as we're cooped up inside a place that can get sealed-off, we're way too vulnerable."

[GrandCommander13]

As Zatrel cycles through the camera he picks up what seems to be some squads from the Imperial army garrison going through the spaceport. They are all positioned on the main floor of the spaceport and appear to be going through the storage rooms with scanners and speaking to workers. Quickly turning his attention to their immediate situation Zatrel checks the cameras for the access room on the west wall: it is still empty, so the security team hasn't reached you just yet. There is no ventilation in the docking bay; the access rooms are ringed by ventilation, but the walls are too thin for the individual vents to be large enough for a person to crawl through.

Cycling back to the cameras where he saw Imperial army squads before Zatrel finds the one that seems to be receiving the orders to find you. The camera has a view of a cantina that Zatrel recognizes and is a couple of minutes away from your position if you step quickly. The man in charge has left two of his men to continue speaking to passersby, and is taking the other six with him.

[Melchior]

"Fierfek," Zatrel curses as he watches the cameras. Addressing the others, he turns and makes for the door, "Alright, we got incoming. We need to move. Now."

With no way out through less obvious ways they were going to have to just trust their luck with walking out the front door. Which meant not being here when those Imperials showed up or it was going to all go straight to hell.

[DoubleL1987]

"You'll get no arguments from me."

Malcolm took a breath before pushing the door open ahead of Zatrel and stepping back out into the main part of the spaceport. He took a moment to make sure that the sweeper teams hadn't closed in the meantime and once he was sure, adjusted his pack while using the motion to conceal a gesture to the others that it was alright to come out.

[Connor]

Omemo followed the group, his hood lifted to cover as much of his unique head as possible as to not draw too much attention to them. He had ample Creds if it came down to a pinch and they needed to get a room or something to aid in their hiding, or their escape from the planet. He was ever wary of others though, but the events that have unfolded, particularly from the ISB and it's agents made it twice as necessary as usual.

[GrandCommander13]

Malcolm is able to step into the access room. Reaching out into the Force, he cannot perceive any organized groups of people moving with each other downstairs on the main level. With the all clear given, the group is able to get into the sizable elevator and go down to the main floor.

The spaceport's main floor teems with activity: with hundreds of docks where cargo or passengers can be moved there is no shortage of spacers waiting for their ship to be loaded with the next cargo or passengers waiting for their exit from the spaceport to be scheduled by the authorities. Repulsor sleds loaded up with crates move on pathways painted onto the floor, and at one of the shops a gang of young men postures at themselves as they try on jackets and hats.

As the elevators plunge from the ceiling all through the floor rather than just at the perimeter the shops, cantinas, and kiosks are similarly clustered in little "islands" surrounded by elevators and leaving plenty of walking space around them. This is a busy time for the spaceport, and the crowds are too thick for you to see the army squad you know is approaching your dock. Looking through the crowd you can see the exit and you begin walking that direction.

Larria, Zatrel, and Omemo are sharp-eyed enough to see it first, but are able to mention to Malcolm and Pelon: a Bothan, seeming very nervous and very intent on watching you from his seat. Once he sees one of the group make eye contact with him he seems to lose his nerve. Some of his hair already standing up he can't seem to take the pressure anymore; he tugs at his shirt collar, as if it was tightening around his neck before pulling a datacard from his pocket and setting it on his table. That taken care of, he stands up and hurries towards the exit, his eyes darting all around him as he scans the crowd.

[Connor]

"Zatrel, I believe that young man left something for you upon that table. Would you kindly go and retrieve it?" The tall Ithorian spoke in hushed stereo, from beneath his cowl, to the one he felt was roguish enough to pull it off, and get back with the group before they decided their next moves.

[Melchior]

As the elevator takes them down Zatrel takes in the crowd. A large crowd meant that blending in would be that much easier. Maybe they would be able to simply walk out the front exit. Zatrel tried to remember what the security at the front gate was like, though he had not been paying it much attention at the time. Though once it was discovered that they had escaped and especially that they had killed six officers doing so, it was going to become much harder, regardless.

He catches the eye of the nervous looking Bothan and watches with some interest as the nervous looking man places a datacard on the table. When the Ithorian tells him to go and get it Zatrel frowns slightly. 'Left it for us?' That did seem to be the case at first glance but Zatrel did trust that. He didn't recognize the Bothan, and had no idea why he would have been giving them anything. 'Odds this is a trap of some kind?' Zatrel had met a Corellian one time who had told him that his people never paid attention to the odds. The man was now space dust in the rings of some no-name planet in the Outer Rim. In the end though his curiosity got the better of him. Better him than sending the six-and-a-half foot Ithorian he supposed.

With a sigh, Zatrel separates from the rest of the group, "Fine." He veared his path, towards the table where the Bothan had been sitting.

[GrandCommander13]

Zatrel does not remember the security at the spaceport exit being anything worthy of concern. Some days there is an Army checkpoint randomly inspecting people entering the planet, but today the Army is far more concerned with that is inside the spaceport. Aside from scanners which check for biological and chemical contaminants, spice, explosives, and illegal weapons there should be nothing barring your exit from the spaceport today.

Zatrel is able to make it to the table and take the datacard. As he picks it up he is able to see the Bothan reach the exit of the spaceport; the Bothan starts running as soon as he's outside, though Zatrel can't see anyone chasing after him.

With nothing else keeping you at the spaceport you are able to leave before the Army catches you. Outside there is no sign of the Bothan who left the datacard for you: he either had a speeder waiting for him or is a very fast runner. Hotels are nearby, as are speeder rental services and taxi services. It would be best to find a safe place to hide, be it in town or out of town, while you considered what to do.

[Jocularity]

Kai had indeed been very on edge about passing through the front door security, but the massive crowds were like a veil of anonymity in which the emperor himself could hide. He thanked the force for their good fortune for not being singled out for random inspection, and walked with the group to a fair distance from the starport and all lines of sight that there pursuers could spot them. "I wonder what happened to my speeder bike. I suppose i shall never see it again. Not that it could have carried five anyway." He shook his head, putting it out of his mind. "So none of you at all have any idea why that Bothan decided to pass us that datacard? I suppose we can only learn more by viewing it. We just need some kind of sanctuary." He looked around himself, considering what he knew of the city. He had lived here in obscurity for some time, and grown somewhat familiar with the place. "I would suggest my home, but i worry i may be traced back there. Even so, i would still like to stop there briefly to pick something up."

[DoubleL1987]

"The place me and my master stayed in is probably still crawling with Imperials scraping their friends off the wall, and my old house before that's probably been taken over by squatters," Malcolm sighed and laced his fingers behind his head, looking up into the sky. At least they were outside again, that was something. "I suggest we should stick together for now, but if you need to head back to your place first, it might be best if only one or two of us go with you. More and it may look suspicious."

[Melchior]

"Alright," Zatrel nods to the Kel Dor. They had gotten out of the spaceport far easier than he had expected. He wasn't sure how long it would take security to notice their absence, though if they didn't find the bodies right away it could be a few hours. Or a few minutes. Even still they would probably waste a little while at least searching the spaceport. The Kel Dor probably had long enough to get his things.

"The Jedi's right though, we should try to avoid attention." He looked at the Ithorian and the woman. "I have nothing here to worry about getting." Everything he had owned that he wasn't carrying was now on its way to the Outer Rim with his backstabbing captain. "If you two need to get anything though, I suggest you do it now. The Imperials have your names and faces, and once they find out you're missing it won't be safe to go back to your homes. You may wish to warn your loved ones if you have any. It won't be safe for them either."

Though if they were going to meet up again, they would need some way to communicate. Or an agreed upon time and location to meet back up at. He knew nothing about the planet so the later would depend on the others' knowledge to work out. He did have a comlink though. It wasn't encrypted unfortunately but it was all he had. It wouldn't matter if one of the others didn't have one, though. "Does anyone have a comlink?"

[DoubleL1987]

"I've got one. It's short-range only, though," Malcolm said, fishing the device out of his backpack and holding it up. "If we only have two between us, I think you should head off with Gramps, I'll go with Horns and the Doc. That way each group has a comlink and one of us," His eyes indicated himself and Kai, and he didn't exactly think it was wise to go saying "Jedi" in public. "Anyone know a place we can meet up? I don't think any of my old haunts would be the best choice."

[Connor]

"Anyone know the ins and outs of the underground market here? We could probably buy anything we need and find a quick shelter if we are lucky enough... I 'should' have enough Creds to do what we want to get done, at least possibly closer to off-world." Omemo says to everyone and no one in particular. "Though if we are to separate, I do believe that Malcolm has the correct idea."